Meaning, I Love You
by kingfishling
Summary: "Wow. If I'd known the way to score a date is to judo-flip them 8 times, I'd have been taken years ago!" She leaned in close, "Don't you know? It means, I love you."


From the outside, Chase Dojo looked harmless. (At least, as harmless as a tiny building in a strip mall that taught grown adults to fight could look.)

Inside, however, there lurked the greatest danger Perseus Jackson had ever faced in his 22 years of life.

 _His Sensei. Annabeth Chase._

Just her name recalled memories of countless bruises, every night where he couldn't get to sleep because of his aching muscles. He recalled every taunting word, every frustrated groan and every single glare from the seemingly harmless blonde.

Even worse than the pain, though, was the longing. Despite their weekly routine of harassment and physical violence, there was something about the way her stormy eyes caught the light when she whipped her leg around to kick him that made the young man's stomach flip, even while crashing to the floor.

There was something about the controlled way she swung her arm toward him whilst blowing hair from her face that made him wonder at how soft her hair must be. But even through the pain, and the longing, she was his friend first.

Percy had almost asked her out one day, after being nearly killed during a 'demonstration'. Annabeth and him were the last in the dojo, everyone else having gladly answered the call of their televisions. She was bent over a desk, ruffling through several papers. Some of her blonde curls had come undone, and were hanging in her face. His Sensei's entire body seemed to glow, despite the unflattering apparel.

"Hey... Sensei?" Annabeth jerked up in surprise, seeming to have not noticed that he was still here.

"We're not in class, Percy, you can call me Annabeth." She fixed her stare on him, and he shifted uncomfortably, suddenly very nervous.

"Okay, Sen- Annabeth, um, I was wondering if maybe-"

Percy's hesitant invitation was interrupted by a young man appearing by the door. He was tan, with golden hair that caught the light and gleaming blue eyes. And he was most definitely hotter than himself. Shit. "Hey, Annie." Annabeth turned with a smile that seemed to light up her whole face.

"Luke!" She rushed over, and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll be right over sweetheart, I have to finish talking to Percy."

She turned back to her desk, an apology dying on her lips but Percy had already escaped.

Since then, Percy had tried hard to keep his feelings in check. There was no point asking just to be refused. She had Luke, and the two of them had looked so happy together. Who was he to ruin that?

And so, every Saturday he underwent mental, physical and emotional torture at Chase Dojo.

Today was no different. He walked through the doors, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, sighing dramatically at yet another dent in his already bruised and fractured heart.

"Why the long face?" He paused, gazing off to the side where Annabeth was greeting her students.

"Oh… err, nothing. How's Luke?" He quickly changed the topic to one he knew she liked to discuss. Despite her generally quiet and intellectual nature, he knew that once you got her started on her boyfriend, she could praise him for hours. It hurt still, but at least it was a familiar hurt, and a distraction from the way the overhead lights glinted off her hair.

Today, however, she lowered her eyes. "Oh… err, we... umm, he's fine." His Sensei avoided his eyes, and quickly waved him toward where the rest of the class was starting to gather.

Percy frowned, but left it. If she wanted to talk, she would do so later. He dropped his bag against the wall, and turned to face Annabeth as the rest of the class filed into lines.

After starting the class and finishing their exercises, Annabeth looked seriously at all of them and said, "Today I will be teaching you how to flip someone onto their back. Percy! I will be using you to demonstrate."

The rest of the class tittered as Percy walked resignedly to the middle of the floor. Whenever his Sensei was giving a demonstration, he was always called. It was a bit of a running joke now. _("Hey Percy! Careful not to hurt her too badly today! Ahahahahaha!")_

It wasn't that he was terrible at Judo. Quite the opposite, actually. He was one of the best students in the class. The only one who could fight him time and time again and still come out victorious was Annabeth.

Annabeth grinned viciously at him, a different sort of energy entering her than the subdued air that had followed her since this morning. Percy would have been glad to see it, if it hadn't meant physical harm was soon to follow.

Within seconds, he was groaning on his back, having been skillfully flipped by Annabeth. The rest of the class tried not to laugh, some looking slightly sympathetic. "Up."

He sighed as he got to his feet once more, shaking out a kink in his shoulder and standing in ready position. Before he could blink, though, he was on the floor once more.

This repeated 6 more times until she finally let people pair up, walking around to correct her student's stances and give tips. As she walked by Percy, she brushed close to him, momentarily distracting him from his opponent. A moment was enough. He hit the ground for the ninth time that day.

Behind him, Annabeth rolled her eyes, moving on to the next pair. Before he knew it, class was over, and boy, was his back happy to hear that!

Grabbing his bag, he was ready to exit the class when a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to find Annabeth. "Hey, could you stay back for a second?" Percy nodded in affirmation, and they waited for the other men and women to filter out of the room.

He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, trying not to think about how nice a warm, comfy couch would be right now. Moments later, the blonde spoke up,

"Hey, Percy?" He opened his eyes once more to find Annabeth hovering nervously nearby.

"Mmmhm? What's up?" He swallowed silently, watching her readjust her ponytail and pointedly look anywhere but him. He wondered if this was about her boyfriend and felt a pang in his heart.

"I… was wondering… if maybe you'd like to get a coffee? Together?" Percy blinked, and the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Like, a date?"

She nodded, seeming slightly relieved that he had caught on, "Yes. Like a date."

Percy stared at her. He felt lighter than air, like he was floating on a cloud, "I… but… don't you have a boyfriend?"

She shook her head, avoiding his incredulous gaze and instead choosing to examine the blue mats under her feet, "We broke up. A while ago. He… he wasn't good for me."

Percy examined her. He felt as though she wasn't telling him the whole truth, but who cares! He had just gotten asked out! By the girl he'd been pining for for months! "Yes!"

She looked up, a bit startled. "I mean, uhh sure. Yes, I would love to go get coffee."

Annabeth grabbed her purse gratefully, "Well then, do you know anyplace nice?"

Later, as they sat in the window seat of a Starbucks and casually flirted in their judo outfits, Percy remarked, "Wow. If I'd known the way to score a date is to judo-flip them 8 times, I'd have been taken years ago!"

Annabeth laughed, and leaned in close, "Don't you know? It means, I love you."


End file.
